The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Review

I have been playing RPGs for years now and I can say that Oblivion was one of my favorite RPGs in 2008 (had to wait a bit to buy it). With Skyrim, I was astounded by all the amazing features they showed off (sadly, they didn’t let me play it at PAX, I’m too young).Skyrim might be one of the biggest contenders for game of the year, but if you really want to find out how well it fares against other games you are going to have to read past the break.

Presentation:

Skyrim is a beautiful game with wonderful art design and breathtaking views, I’m not kidding. BUT, the first cut scene was like 10 minutes long, I might be exaggerating a bit, and to me that was a big turn off. Yet, like any other gamer, I waited. That wait was well worth it, the game starts with a wonderful intro that shows the dragon that *BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP* all the other dragons. The one thing I love about the Elder Scrolls series is the art style. Skyrim is no exception to this. Skyrim has a wonderful looking world with very well-defined textures, but I’m one of those people who like to look at every single detail. Skyrim is definitely not perfect in its graphics. Some textures that should have a 3D look are in 2D to save CPU power for those who don’t have high-end PCs. I don’t have one either, mine is slightly above medium-end, but I was able to run it one ultra high graphics with ease. This definitely shows that Skyrim is no Crysis, but it does have something about it that makes it better.

Gameplay:

When running around with a sword in one hand and a fire spell in the other you feel unstoppable. This feeling comes around every now and when it isn’t there, you actually might be in trouble. Skyrim has no end to gameplay, there are hundreds of quests, 85 spells to learn, tons of gear to collect, and a wonderful world to see. All this should take somewhere from 300-500 hours to finish. Skyrim is bloated with gameplay and that isn’t a bad thing (unless you play it for too long in one session) it’s actually one of the games strengths. I don’t think that it’s possible to explain all the gameplay in Skyrim, but I will say that gameplay has currently NO BUGS (I know, shocking!) Then again I’m only 20 hours in.

Story

Bethesda set out to make a wonderful game and in turn they also made an amazing story. The story starts out with you as a prisoner, much like Oblivion, but this time you are not with the King. You find yourself in a town where you are set to be executed with the leader of the Stormcloaks, the gang that is led by the King’s assassin. As soon as you put your head on the chopping block, a humongous, black dragon appears. The dragon burns down the town and leaves you to run away. That was the first scene summarized to the point where you, the reader, have no idea what really happened. The story in the Elder Scrolls series is by far the most important piece, and Skyrim has a story that makes it worth being an Elder Scrolls game.

Conclusion:

Skyrim is one of the most anticipated games of the year and I’m sure many people like me will be playing it for days without end. With a wonderful story, gorgeous graphics, and gameplay that is awesome, Skyrim sure has lived up to the hype. This isn’t a very long review, but it is one for a game that has to be played to truly experience the glory

Skyrim – 9.5/10

Presentation 9/10

Gameplay – 9.5/10

Story – 10/10

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